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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23601847">chosen</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SJAandDWfan/pseuds/SJAandDWfan'>SJAandDWfan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Arrow (TV 2012), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, slayer au, tw: mentions of past character death, tw: non-graphic violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:08:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,329</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23601847</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SJAandDWfan/pseuds/SJAandDWfan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The woman smiled thinly. “My name is Nyssa al Ghul. I am the Slayer.”</p><p>“No you’re not.”</p><p>“Excuse me?” The woman – Nyssa – raised an eyebrow at her.</p><p>Sara shook her head. “You can’t be the Slayer.”</p><p>“And why is that?”</p><p>“Because… I’m the Slayer,” Sara said. </p><p>or</p><p>a nyssara slayer au</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nyssa al Ghul/Sara Lance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>chosen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/erbine99/gifts">erbine99</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>commissioned by the lovely erbine99 who asked for a buffy the vampire slayer-style nyssara au! i hope you (and anyone else who might read this) enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The wind whistled in Sara’s ears as she ran. Her heart was pumping, her feet were pounding the dirt, her mind was laser-focused on her target as the cemetery loomed closer and closer. They always drew her to the cemetery.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She clutched the stake in her hand, keeping her head up as she vaulted the low wall next to the wrought-iron gates without breaking her stride. Her target was heading for a crypt a couple hundred feet away, but Sara knew she could close him down before he got that far.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The vampire may have had a headstart, but Sara was fast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, ugly!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure, it wasn’t her most creative insult, but it got his attention. His steps faltered, and Sara pressed on faster and faster. He was in range now; she just had to time it right…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as Sara was about to trip him, the vampire darted to the side. Sara slammed the brakes on and pivoted on the spot, narrowing her eyes as she scanned the darkness for signs of movement. Her own breathing was loud in her ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” she muttered. “You can’t have gone far.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, Sara’s legs were swept from under her. She lost her grip on the stake as she fell to the ground, rolling away from whatever had taken her down and getting back to her feet as quickly as she could. She came face to face with the same vamp she’d been chasing, his face now changed into the form that more closely resembled the demon he was. Yellow eyes, sharp teeth, and something her friend Nate had dubbed “bumpy brow”. If he hadn’t been ugly before, he definitely was now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re dead, Slayer,” he hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara snickered under her breath. “Doubt it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lunged at her and she dodged, ducking under his arms and landing a swift punch to his abdomen for good measure. She shifted her balance, aiming a powerful kick to his back and sending him lurching forward in an attempt to keep his balance. He spun to face her once more, looking considerably more pissed off, and Sara grinned. It was way more fun when they put up a fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Mr. Ugly, this has been a real blast,” she said. “But it’s past my bedtime. So, if you don’t mind, I’m just going to get my stake and stab you with it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The vamp’s eyes darted to her empty hands. “What stake?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quick as a flash, Sara’s hand reached inside her jacket. “This—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The vampire exploded into dust.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wh—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This one,” a voice said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara watched as a figure was revealed by the clearing of the dust. Taller than her and shrouded in darkness, Sara couldn’t make out their face, but their voice had sounded feminine to her. She blinked in confusion, her brain working far too slowly to piece it all together. Who was this person? How had they known what to do? And, most importantly, how had they appeared without her noticing?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You stole my thunder,” was what she came up with, after a long pause.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My apologies,” the mystery person said, stepping forward out of the shadows until their face was illuminated by the light of the moon. “I was under the impression you required assistance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara’s first thought upon seeing this face was that it was probably one of the most beautiful faces she’d ever seen. The mystery woman had dark eyes, currently fixed on Sara’s own, thick glossy hair that fell into her face slightly, and quite frankly, absolutely flawless bone structure. She was </span>
  <em>
    <span>gorgeous</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was also a problem.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t need help,” Sara huffed, kicking herself mentally for the brief moment of distraction. “Who are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman smiled thinly. “My name is Nyssa al Ghul. I am the Slayer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No you’re not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” The woman – Nyssa – raised an eyebrow at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara shook her head. “You can’t be the Slayer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And why is that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because… </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m </span>
  </em>
  <span>the Slayer,” Sara said. She pulled her backup stake out of her jacket and showed it to Nyssa. “I’m her. Sara Lance. The Chosen One. You can’t be…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was sent here.” Nyssa’s voice was calm and even; the only thing that gave her confusion away was the slight crease between her eyebrows. “I’ve never heard of a Sara Lance. All I was told was that the Hellmouth was here and that your city required my protection.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara folded her arms. “Who told you that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m afraid I am not at liberty to discuss that information.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sound like the CIA,” Sara said with a frown. “No. Not CIA. MI6, with that accent.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa took a step closer. “I’m not from any kind of government organization. I can tell you that much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then… who are you?” Sara asked. “And don’t say ‘The Slayer’.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t going to,” Nyssa said, looking slightly affronted. “Listen. Clearly, we’ve both been misinformed; told we were the only one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am </span>
  </em>
  <span>the only one,” Sara bit back at her. “Have been since I was practically a kid. I’ve saved the world more times than you could imagine. Where were you then, huh? If you’re the real Slayer, then why weren’t you here instead of me, fighting while people I knew died?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sara, I—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just… I’m not falling for it,” Sara said. “You come here with your… aloofness, and your silky voice, and just expect me to believe you? Contrary to popular belief, I’m smarter than that. The Slayer is </span>
  <em>
    <span>smarter </span>
  </em>
  <span>than that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa shook her head. “I don’t know what’s going on any more than you do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go home, Nyssa al Ghul,” Sara said, taking her discarded stake back from Nyssa. “I believe this is mine. If you’re not going to give me answers, then you should go. It’s not safe here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without another word, she turned on her heel and left the woman behind.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><hr/><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“She said she was who now?” Nate sat up on the couch, his interest clearly piqued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara used the opportunity to flop down next to him in the space that had just been vacated by his feet. “She claimed she was the Slayer. Said it with a straight face and everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But that’s impossible,” Ray said with a frown, leaning against the living room wall with his arms folded across his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She must think I’m some kind of idiot,” Sara scoffed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, if she’s not the Slayer, then who is she?” Ray asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara shrugged. “Apart from ‘Nyssa al Ghul’, she didn’t say. Claimed she wasn’t government, but… I don’t know. I think she’s had combat training at the very least. It’s just the way she held herself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ray has good posture,” Charlie pointed out, lounging in the armchair she’d claimed as her own years ago. “Doesn’t mean he’s some kind of super soldier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but he’s Ray.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ray ignored her. “We need to find out who she is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, what if she’s working for a shady secret organization?” Nate gasped, eyes going wide. “What if she’s working for some big demon boss?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Charlie shook her head. “Haven’t heard any whispers, but I can always follow up on some contacts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That would be great,” Sara murmured, thinking back to her encounter with this Nyssa woman. “I wonder if that’s her real name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?” Charlie cocked an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nyssa,” Sara explained. “I wonder if the name she gave me was real or not. Not a lot of Nyssas, well, anywhere close to here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was she like?” Nate asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mysterious,” Sara said, quirking her lips to the side. “Formal. Kinda stoic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nate grinned at her. “Pretty?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara punched him in the arm. “Stunning, actually, but that’s besides the point. She’s an issue.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Besides, you don’t exactly have the best track record with mysterious brooding strangers,” Charlie pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Oliver thing was, like, two years ago,” Sara protested. “I’m older and wiser.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re twenty-one,” a voice came from the doorway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara turned her head to see Martin Stein, her Watcher, standing there with an amused look on his face. “Hilarious. You got my text, then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did,” Stein said. “Have you considered trying to find this woman again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but I don’t know if it’s a good idea or not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Since when has that ever stopped you?” Charlie snorted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stein looked pensive. “I would consider it, if I were you. She might volunteer some answers by herself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe,” Sara said. “She didn’t exactly give me her number, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We could get Constantine to do a locator spell,” Ray suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara pulled a face. “Maybe as a last resort. I don’t wanna watch him drink eyeballs again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Drink?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ignoring the questions coming her way, Sara heaved herself to her feet and made her way over to Stein. “Quick training session first?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Stein allowed, giving her that indulgent grandfather-slash-reasonable-authority-figure smile he always did. “In the meantime, Ray, can you do some research on the possibility of multiple Slayers? I have some resources that may be of use.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not seriously entertaining the idea that there’s two Slayers?” Sara sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stein just shrugged. “It would be wise to look into every possibility, don’t you think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Ray’s time you’re wasting,” Sara said. “So if he’s happy to do it, then go ahead. But I’m telling you, everything you’ve said to me over the past six or seven years; everything I’ve experienced since I was called… it can’t be true.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something crossed Stein’s face at her words – something so quick Sara wondered if she’d imagined it – but she filed it away to ask at a later date. Part of her said it was probably nothing. But her instincts said that Stein had just been struck with the beginnings of a theory.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><hr/><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>That night, Sara stopped her patrol on the other side of the cemetery to where she’d met Nyssa the previous day. She stood still, ears trained on even the slightest noise. She couldn’t hear Nyssa, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t there; after all, she hadn’t heard her last time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you’re here,” Sara said eventually.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa seemed to melt out of the shadows. “Hello.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi,” Sara said dumbly, before shaking her head at herself and snapping out of whatever trance she felt like she’d fallen under. “Are you following me now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m patrolling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara narrowed her eyes. “You can’t—Patrolling is </span>
  <em>
    <span>my </span>
  </em>
  <span>thing, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s also my thing,” Nyssa said plainly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not here, it isn’t,” Sara huffed. “What are you still doing here, anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s like I said, Starling City is where the Hellmouth is,” Nyssa explained. “It’s where I should be. As the—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do not say it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa smirked, just barely, but relented nonetheless. “I also stayed to see if I could find answers concerning our current predicament. I’d assume you’ve been doing the same.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe,” Sara said, trying not to let her expression twitch. “My people are working on it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your people?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My friends,” Sara corrected. Unable to resist, she added, “Got any of those, Nyssa al Ghul?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Nyssa replied easily. “Unless you count sparring partners.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara leaned against a tall headstone. “I can’t figure you out. It’s bugging me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shall we talk, then?” Nyssa asked. “An answer for an answer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking a second to think about it, Sara let her eyes trail over how Nyssa was dressed. Dark pants and boots, a black shirt layered underneath the crissed-crossed straps of what looked like some kind of shoulder protection. A hooded… cape? What looked like a bow and a quiver of arrows strapped to her back? Yeah, there was a lot she wanted to find out about this woman.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Deal.” Sara tilted her head to the side. “Is your name really Nyssa al Ghul?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is,” Nyssa confirmed. “And yours is really Sara Lance?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t wear it out,” Sara joked. Nyssa just gave her a blank look. “It’s my real name. Who do you work for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa raised her eyebrows in surprise, but otherwise didn’t flinch. “My father.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’s your father?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe it’s my turn to ask a question,” Nyssa said, lips curling into a smile. “Tell me, Sara, how long ago were you called to be the Slayer?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“About six and a half years ago,” Sara said. “How about you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t want to know about my father?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara groaned. “I’ll circle back to it. Just answer the question.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Three years ago,” Nyssa said. “I was called three years ago, but I’ve been in training since I was a child. Honestly, I thought I was past the age of being called at the time, but I guess not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara only just stopped herself from asking how old Nyssa was, wondering if they were a similar age, remembering at the last moment that her turn had passed. “Well. Even if you are some sort of Slayer, I’ve been doing it longer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa actually rolled her eyes at that. “This is assuming you’re telling the truth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t lie,” Sara said hotly. “Unless it’s to try and convince people that I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>the Slayer, obviously. I’d be an idiot if I tried to convince a stranger I was her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Precisely.” Nyssa’s dark eyes glinted. “Now do you understand me a little better?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I—” Sara clenched her jaw. “Maybe a little. Okay, my turn.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I didn’t—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Technically, you asked me a question,” Sara said, more than a little smug. “And I answered it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That gave Nyssa pause. “I… suppose you’re right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not an idiot, Nyssa al Ghul,” Sara said, gentler than she’d intended for it to come out. She cleared her throat. “Who’s your father?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His name was Ra’s al Ghul,” Nyssa said. “He trained me and a number of other young people in combat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean, ‘was’?” Sara’s ears perked up at the use of past tense.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe that was another question,” Nyssa said. “You’re very impatient, Sara Lance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s one of my defining characteristics,” Sara grumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa just hummed thoughtfully under her breath. “Who trained </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>
    <em>?"</em>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stein. My Watcher,” Sara told her. “Can you please answer my question?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was also another question, but I’ll let it go,” Nyssa said, and her smile infuriated Sara more than she thought possible from what was actually a perfectly pleasant smile. “My father is dead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Sara said, wincing a little. “Sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We weren’t close.” Nyssa shrugged. “But it was he who told me that the Hellmouth was here. When he died, I began my journey to Starling City.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You make it sound like you were kept under lock and key on some remote island,” Sara muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa’s face was frustratingly impassive. “Maybe I was. Maybe I wasn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you </span>
  <em>
    <span>do </span>
  </em>
  <span>have a sense of humor,” Sara noted. “Interesting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This has been pleasant,” Nyssa said conversationally. “But I have to get back to patrolling now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For the last time, this place isn’t yours to patrol,” Sara stood up straight again, bewildered at the sudden shift backwards in their conversation. “Listen, I mentioned my friends earlier, and…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” Nyssa prompted, when Sara paused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara chewed on her bottom lip, hoping this wasn’t a mistake. “I was wondering if you’d meet them tomorrow with me. With all of us, we might be able to get to the bottom of this. If you really do believe that you’re the Slayer…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa looked to be considering it for a long moment. Sara stood firm under her piercing gaze, trying not to feel vulnerable at the way Nyssa was regarding her. Finally, Nyssa nodded her assent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well,” she said. “I’ll meet you by the gates at noon, and you can take me to them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was going to ask if you wanted my number, but I suppose you don’t have a phone,” Sara grumbled. “It’s like John all over again.” Before Nyssa could even open her mouth to question her, Sara cut her off. “Goodnight, Nyssa.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodnight, Sara,” Nyssa said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara waited for Nyssa to melt back into the shadows before she continued her patrol, in the opposite direction to the one she thought Nyssa had gone in. Her head was reeling at the new information; it had simultaneously answered a lot of her questions while inspiring a million more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa seemed so sure that she was the Slayer. But Sara knew her own life; and her own gift. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She </span>
  </em>
  <span>was the Slayer, and had been for over six years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something wasn’t adding up, and she intended to find out what.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>As promised, the next day Sara collected Nyssa outside the cemetery, and they began the walk to Stein’s house. They walked in silence. Although Sara’s mind was still swimming with questions, she wasn’t sure if Nyssa would answer any of them without wanting more information about her in return. She’d tried to be mindful not to give too much personal information away last night; she still didn’t trust Nyssa, after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa seemed comfortable with the quiet between them, at any rate. Sara noticed her taking everything in as they walked, dark eyes flitting about her surroundings, probably making a mental log of everything she saw. Nyssa’s eyes met hers for a moment and Sara looked away quickly. She didn’t know why, exactly. Maybe she just didn’t want Nyssa to have the satisfaction of knowing that she was curious about her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara rapped her knuckles against Stein’s front door, stepping back and fidgeting for a moment before it swung open to reveal her Watcher. Stein’s eyes widened almost comically when he noticed Nyssa standing by Sara’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stein, this is Nyssa al Ghul,” Sara said. “Nyssa, Stein. My Watcher.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, yes,” Nyssa said, extending her hand. Stein, looking a little bewildered, shook it. “Pleasure to meet you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sara found you again, then, I suppose,” he ventured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She was stalking me, it wasn’t hard,” Sara said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa glared at her. “We were patrolling the same area last night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara heard a sharp laugh and a “that’s what she said,” from further inside the house. Stein rolled his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nathaniel is here,” he explained. “As are Ray and Charlie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great,” Sara sighed. “I love a peanut gallery. Come on, Nyssa, I guess you’re meeting the whole gang right away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa strode into the house, chin up, and Sara noticed everyone but Charlie sit up straighter. Charlie, who had once claimed she ‘didn’t do anything straight’, simply raised a hand in greeting from where she was curled up in her armchair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is Charlie,” Sara said to Nyssa, inclining her head. “She’s our link to the demon world. Has loads of contacts. Basically, if we need to find information about anything going on in the city, she’s our way in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a demon?” Nyssa didn’t seem all that shocked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Charlie nodded. “Shapeshifter, mind, so be careful. Things ain’t always what they appear.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa looked almost amused as Sara pointed to another one of her friends.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is Ray, our resident bookworm-slash-nerd. If what we’re looking for is more… ancient, then he’s our guy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nice to meet you, Ms. al-Ghul,” Ray said, striding over and shaking Nyssa’s hand with a bright (if slightly apprehensive) smile on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nyssa, please,” came the answer, and if Sara didn’t know better, she would’ve wondered if maybe Nyssa wasn’t all that fond of her last name. Maybe it had something to do with her father.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And this over here is Nate,” Sara gestured to him as he bounded to his feet and held out his fist for a bump. Nyssa just looked at it in confusion. Sara snorted under her breath before continuing. “He likes to think he’s the muscle of the group, but that would actually be me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Obviously,” Nyssa said, eyes trailing over Sara’s form for the briefest of moments, which Sara filed away in the back of her mind with interest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now that we’ve all been acquainted, maybe we should start getting to the bottom of this,” Stein suggested. Sara leaned her hip against the back of the couch and looked at Nyssa, folding her arms across her chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you think you’re the Slayer?” she asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great name for a TV show,” Nate murmured. Sara silenced him with a look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am the Slayer,” Nyssa said evenly. “But, clearly, somehow so are you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which is impossible,” Sara said. “Or, at least, it should be impossible. Team, I’m looking for theories. Go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Clone!” Nate raised his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara just stared at him. “We look nothing alike, and I think I would remember if I had been cloned, dumbass.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Charlie put her hand up. “Parallel universes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See, now that’s a theory I could get behind,” Sara said, clapping her hands together excitedly. “Ray? Any ideas?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I suppose there could’ve been a mistake with the calling, and you were both called instead of just one of you,” Ray thought aloud. He gasped. “And now you’ve been brought together by fate to save the world!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, we were called to be the Slayer at different times.” Sara shook her head. “Nyssa said she became the Slayer, what, three years ago?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” Nyssa looked impressed. “You retain information well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess stuff about you is just easy to remember,” Sara said, freezing for a moment before tacking on, “You know, cause this whole situation is so weird.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Charlie arched an eyebrow at her. “Anyway. So, if there was no mistake, then how did this happen?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The only possible lead I found was what happens when the Slayer dies,” Ray said with a sigh. “Like, if Sara ever died, then the next Potential would be called.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Sara’s alive,” Nate supplied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara rolled her eyes. “No shit. And, obviously, I’ve never died, so…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A shaky sigh from behind her caught her attention. Slowly, she turned to see Stein looking at her with sad eyes, a weight behind his expression that unsettled her stomach and set her teeth on edge. Somehow, Sara knew that there was something she was missing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never died,” Sara repeated. “Right, Martin?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stein’s eyes were dull. “I’m so sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” Sara’s voice was hard. She swallowed roughly, seeing Nyssa glancing between her and Stein out of the corner of her eye. Right now, though, she didn’t care. “Stein. I’ve never died.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s… not entirely accurate,” Stein said quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room went silent. Even Nate had no response to that. Eventually, Sara managed to choke out a single word.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Explain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was a while ago,” Stein began softly. His eyes slid over to Nyssa. “Three years ago, in fact. You were fighting off an army of demons, led by a Queen under the influence of a much darker evil.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember,” Sara said. “That fight was… a blur. I was knocked unconscious, but we </span>
  <em>
    <span>won</span>
  </em>
  <span>. When I woke up, you… you, um,” Sara furrowed her brow, “uh… shit, I-I can’t remember.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s because you weren’t knocked unconscious,” Stein told her. “Sara, you won the fight, but you were killed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara’s stomach plummeted. “No…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I brought you to Constantine,” Stein continued. “We all did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Full of anger, Sara spun around to face her friends, only to find them looking at her with equally blank and confused expressions on their faces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They don’t have any recollection of this,” Stein said quickly. “After he brought you back, Constantine suggested that a memory wiping spell might be beneficial to the situation. You were all traumatized. I thought I was helping.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You took away our memories?” Sara rubbed at her temples. “That’s so… why would you…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sara died?” Ray asked, in a small voice. His eyes were glistening with unshed tears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You kept this from us for three years?” Sara tightened her jaw as she looked back to Stein. “What was the plan? To be the </span>
  <em>
    <span>only</span>
  </em>
  <span> one of us who knew? To look at me and remember how it felt to look at your dead Slayer? What was your plan for this </span>
  <em>
    <span>exact</span>
  </em>
  <span> situation when another Slayer was called?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know!” Stein raised his voice. “I wasn’t thinking that far ahead! And when there was no word of a new Slayer, I thought maybe you hadn’t died for long enough to… activate someone.” He gestured to Nyssa. “Clearly, I was wrong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara’s mind was reeling. “I… I need some air.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without another word, she stormed out of the house.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was hours later when Nyssa found her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara was in the woods beyond the city limits as the sun began to set, throwing knives at a tree and silently fuming. She felt a presence behind her, and somehow, she knew it was Nyssa. She had no idea what to do with that information.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re taking stalking to a whole new level,” Sara grumbled, when it became clear that Nyssa wasn’t going to break the silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanted to check on you,” Nyssa said, voice as smooth as silk, and it was strange to Sara just how quickly she’d become accustomed to hearing that voice. “You didn’t come back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara looked at her quizzically. “How long did you stay at the house for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Approximately two hours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Two whole hours?” Sara couldn’t help the sharp and sudden laugh that tore from her throat. “How awkward was that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t uncomfortable,” Nyssa said with a shrug. “Your friends may have been.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara just shook her head. “What are you doing here, Nyssa?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s like I said, I wanted to check on you.” Nyssa took a somewhat cautious step towards her. “That… must have been a shock.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Sara muttered, striding up to the tree and wrenching the knife out of the bark. She stopped, gritting her teeth and squeezing her eyes shut as another wave of white-hot anger washed over her. “Yeah. It was a fucking shock.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sara…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stein is supposed to be the person I trust most in the world,” Sara spat, using the knife in her hand to blindly slash at the tree. “He’s my Watcher. He’s not supposed to lie to me! He’s not supposed to hide the fact that I </span>
  <em>
    <span>died </span>
  </em>
  <span>from me! He’s not supposed to… fuck!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She threw the knife to the ground, covering her mouth in an attempt to stifle the sudden sob that ripped from her throat. She stood facing the tree, seeing white spots behind her closed eyelids, they were shut that tight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a long moment, she felt a tentative hand on her shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not… good, with this kind of situation,” Nyssa said quietly. “But I do know a thing or two about being lied to by somebody you trust. It hurts. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>burns</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But you have to find a way through; to not let that anger overwhelm you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Spare me,” Sara snarled, opening her eyes and spinning around to face a surprised-looking Nyssa. “I barely know you, so don’t tell me what I should be doing or how I should be feeling, okay? You don’t know me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I don’t,” Nyssa admitted. “But I do recognize the look in your eyes. It’s a look I wore for too long. Believe me, Sara, you don’t want that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t know shit about what I want,” Sara said, but it didn’t come out as biting as she wanted. Instead, her gaze was drawn to the young woman in front of her, standing closer than she had up until this point. The setting sun was hitting Nyssa in a way that gave her a golden glow, dark hair shining and brown eyes deep and rich. She was </span>
  <em>
    <span>beautiful</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Sara’s eyes dropped to Nyssa’s lips, full and inviting, and she threw caution to the wind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She dragged Nyssa into a kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her hands were on Nyssa’s cheeks, keeping her close as she pressed their lips together insistently. Nyssa, for all she seemed surprised, kissed her back, her hands landing on the curve of Sara’s waist. Sara slid her hands up into Nyssa’s hair, tangling her fingers in the silky strands and pulling just enough for Nyssa’s lips to part in a quiet gasp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara stepped backwards, keeping Nyssa close, until her back was resting against the tree she’d been throwing the knives at. She arched her back into Nyssa more than a little desperately, wanting to feel the sparks that shot through her body when she felt Nyssa’s hips pinning her to the tree, needing the reminder that she was alive, craving the distraction from the sharp turn her life had taken today. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She brushed her tongue against Nyssa’s lips, delighting in the tiny sound that came from her mouth as she did so, and the roar in her chest only increased when Nyssa allowed her entry. Sara had to stretch up a little to kiss her, but she didn’t mind. She liked that she could reach up and wrap her arms around Nyssa’s neck; pull her down into a kiss that was turning more desperate by the second.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mind was blissfully blank of anything that wasn’t Nyssa’s body against hers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa, however, seemed to know exactly what Sara was trying to do. She pulled away, despite Sara’s best efforts to chase her lips, but she kept Sara’s back against the tree, holding her with far more care than Sara had expected. Slowly, Sara opened her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa’s expression was sympathetic. “Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara scoffed. “Not particularly.” Her arms were still looped over her shoulders. “Um. Sorry. About that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We all need a distraction sometimes,” Nyssa said with a shrug. “It wasn’t exactly a chore to be that for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ridiculously, Sara found herself having to fight off a blush at that. “Yeah, well, I have eyes. You’re hot. Even if you are more than a little strange.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To me, you and your friends are the strange ones.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Touché,” Sara murmured. Nyssa’s proximity was making it hard for her to think clearly. “Anyway. I shouldn’t have kissed you like that. I don’t know why I…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Nyssa said. “It’s okay, Sara.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara chewed on her bottom lip, wanting to feel something other than the ghost of Nyssa’s kiss there, and shook her head. “I can’tーI shouldn’t, uh… I have to patrol.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She extricated herself from between Nyssa and the tree, trying in vain to temper the heat she could feel in her cheeks. And in other places. She really didn’t need this right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me know if you ever want to patrol together,” Nyssa said. “It’s not good for you to be alone for too long.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will.” Sara nodded curtly, unable to meet her piercing gaze. “Thanks for coming to check on me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Slayers have to look out for each other.” She could hear the laugh in Nyssa’s voice. “After all, we’re the Chosen Tー”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sara spent the next week avoiding every text and call from her friends, and being out of her apartment as much as possible. Thankfully, they seemed to get the hint after a few days that she needed space, and they gave it to her, although Sara couldn’t help but wonder when their patience would run out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hadn’t seen Nyssa, either, which was surprising, given that she’d seemed to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>everywhere</span>
  </em>
  <span> before. Sometimes, Sara worried that Nyssa had left the city entirely. Then, she would tell herself off for being worried about that. Nyssa was her own person. Starling City already had a Slayer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara hadn’t given her a reason to stay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not that Nyssa had asked for one, of course. It had just been one kiss; one kiss that had come from a place of desperation and distraction and wanting to forget. It hadn’t meant anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fact that, several times every day, Sara was still thinking about how it had felt to kiss Nyssa, was neither here nor there. She was just a good kisser who also happened to be an enigma of a woman. And Sara knew herself well enough to recognize that she was drawn to mysterious people.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ignored the voice in her head that told her that - now that the question of how they could both be Slayers was answered - part of that mystery had been solved, and she should be able to move on from thinking about her. There was still plenty that was mysterious and unanswered about Nyssa, after all. There were still plenty of reasons Sara could be thinking about her that were completely separate to the moment they’d shared that day. It didn’t mean </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara huffed, tightening her grip on the stake in her hand as she patrolled the cemetery once more. If Nyssa could just get out of her thoughts altogether, then that would be great. It wasn’t even as if she’d given Sara an actual way to contact her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was grateful when she found a whole nest of vampires. Now </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> would take her mind off of everything. As she dodged and ducked and kicked and fell and staked, Sara felt more alive than ever. She could feel the adrenaline surging through her veins, and she took comfort in the rapid beating of her heart. She was alive. She wasn’t dead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She still couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that she </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> been dead, albeit briefly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stein had known she’d died for three years, and he’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>hidden</span>
  </em>
  <span> it from her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yelling out in frustration as she staked the last of the vamps, Sara found herself in the middle of the now-empty crypt, breathing hard and trembling all over. She screwed her eyes shut, taking deep breaths until she felt her body start to relax.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least that happened less frequently now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Deep down, Sara knew that she had to talk to Stein about it. But right now she couldn’t even think about the situation without feeling angry and betrayed, so it probably wasn’t the best idea anytime soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She missed him, though. No matter how mad she was, she still </span>
  <em>
    <span>missed</span>
  </em>
  <span> Stein. And the rest of her friends, who had done nothing wrong themselves. She missed them, too. But she wasn’t ready to talk. Not even close.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara stowed her stake back inside her leather jacket and blew some stray hairs out of her eyes. She doubted she’d get a lot of sleep tonight, but at least she’d managed to stumble upon a good fight.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sara was in over her head. Maybe. Just a little bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She landed hard on her back, barely noticing the impact as she fought off the vamp who had taken her by surprise. He had the upper hand, but Sara was determined to win it back, like she always did. She’d never failed to win a fight eventually. Hell, even when she’d ended up dead, she’d won that fight. She wasn’t about to lose to a random vampire she hadn’t even gotten a good look at.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit,” Sara groaned, twisting her body up to protect herself; to make a smaller target as she reached for the stake that had been knocked clean out of her hand. She was such a moron for not bringing a back-up weapon. The vampire lunged for her, and she blocked him with her forearm. He tore at the leather sleeve. Sara kicked him in the stomach. It wasn’t as effective as she would’ve liked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A tiny trickle of panic slid down her spine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She thrashed on the ground, tipping the vampire over her head and sending him tumbling to the grass. Sara scrambled to her feet, but the vamp was still between her and the stake, and he knew that. Sara went in with a powerful roundhouse kick, knocking him back, but he still didn’t give up enough ground. She needed help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Out of sheer desperation, and not at all expecting an answer, Sara yelled, “Nyssa!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The vampire paused for a split-second, and Sara quickly took advantage, kicking at him again and pulling her leg back out of reach before he could grab her and put her off-balance. And, still, she couldn’t get to the stake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She saw movement out of the corner of her eye, but kept focus on her opponent. She almost missed the familiar voice that cried out her name, coming from somewhere behind her. But suddenly, on instinct, Sara spun around and caught the stake that had been thrown to her. Without missing a beat, or taking a pause to wonder just how she’d done that, she continued her spin, and drove the stake into the vampire’s heart. There was a moment of silence as the vampire looked between the stake sticking into his chest, and Sara, faint surprise in his expression, before he disintegrated into dust.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, before turning around to face Nyssa. Of course it was Nyssa.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You called?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Long time, no see,” Sara said, drinking in the sight of Nyssa before her as she drew closer. “What’s it been, three weeks?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Twenty-two days, yes,” Nyssa confirmed. She came to a stop a few feet in front of Sara, dark eyes regarding her curiously. “How are you feeling?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara shrugged. “Less mad, I think. Just… distracted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, it’s not like you to let an opponent surprise you,” Nyssa said. Sara blinked at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you been watching me this whole time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“From a distance,” Nyssa said. “And only during patrol.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” Sara narrowed her eyes at Nyssa. “Because we would’ve had words if you’d had eyes on me in my apartment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment, Sara thought she saw a faint blush color Nyssa’s cheeks, but it was gone almost immediately. “That’s a line I would never cross,” she promised. “I just wanted to be here in case you needed help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, thank you, I think,” Sara said, clasping her hands together behind her back and realizing she was still holding the stake. She held it out for Nyssa to take.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you spoken to Stein?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not yet,” Sara sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa gave her a sympathetic little smile. “What about your other friends?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sara…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Sara said, a little tersely. “I want to, I just… don’t know how. It’s not an everyday problem.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re Slayers,” Nyssa said, the corner of her mouth twitching in what Sara assumed was amusement. “Everyday problems aren’t really our area of expertise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara laughed quietly. “No, I guess not.” Her eyes darted down to Nyssa’s lips, and she swallowed. “Hey, Nyssa…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long did it take for you to forgive whoever lied to you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa pursed her lips. “I didn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Sara pursed her lips, unsure whether she should press further. Thankfully, Nyssa offered up the information on her own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My father told me many lies as a child,” she said evenly. “Lies that I did not realize were lies until I was older. Lies about who I should fear, and who I should trust, and who I should be. He told me about the Hellmouth because he wanted me to save the world, of course, but his intentions were not as moral as those of your Watcher’s, if that’s any comfort.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not comforting to me that you had that experience,” Sara mumbled, not quite sure what to do about the rush of emotions that went through her as she imagined what Nyssa’s childhood must have been like.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa stepped closer still, until she could gently take hold of Sara’s arms. “I’m not telling you this for sympathy, Sara. I’m just trying to point out that, although he should’ve been honest with you, Stein didn’t lie out of spite. He lied because he </span>
  <em>
    <span>thought </span>
  </em>
  <span>it was the right thing to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I died, Nyssa,” Sara whispered, looking into her eyes and feeling tears prick at her own. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>died</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And I don’t know how to process that. And then I found out at the same time as I found out that I’m not the only Slayer; not the Chosen One anymore, and I just—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want me to leave?” Nyssa asked, her voice soft. “If my presence is causing you pain, then I can go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Sara winced at how desperate she sounded. Nyssa blinked in surprise, but she didn’t back away. Sara took a deep breath. “I… I think I want you to stay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She prayed that Nyssa wouldn’t ask her why - she wasn’t even sure she wanted to </span>
  <em>
    <span>acknowledge</span>
  </em>
  <span> why -  and to her relief, Nyssa just nodded. “Then I shall stay, for as long as I’m needed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Swallowing down the lump in her throat, Sara wrapped her arms around Nyssa’s waist and hugged her. Nyssa’s body was stiff and rigid for a moment, and Sara was just about to step away, but then she relaxed into the embrace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Sara whispered, not entirely sure just how many things she was thanking her for. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can process for as long as you need to,” Nyssa told her, carefully rubbing her back, like she wasn’t quite sure if that was what she was supposed to be doing. Sara sighed contentedly even as Nyssa’s hands left little sparks of electricity through her clothes. “But I do think talking to your friends might help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara hummed in Nyssa’s ear, closing her eyes as the adrenaline of the fight wore off. “You may have a point.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sara was enveloped by hugs from Nate and Ray and even Charlie almost as soon as she walked in through Stein’s front door. Her Watcher kept his distance, clearly understanding Sara’s internal conflict, which she was grateful for. Clearly, Stein had managed to keep his tact for the most part.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, guys,” Sara muttered, briefly meeting all of their eyes before their sympathetic (and no doubt worried) stares made her avert her gaze again. “Sorry for not checking in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We all know you can take care of yourself,” Charlie said, waving off her apology.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But we were still worried,” Ray chimed in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, Stein’s been pacing so much, he’s starting to wear tracks into the floor,” Nate said, but his tone wasn’t accusatory. Sara felt herself relaxing a little bit. “I do have one question, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it?” Sara asked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nate pointed over Sara’s shoulder. “Why’s she here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara reached behind her and grabbed Nyssa’s wrist, encouraging her to stand beside her. “It’s a team meeting,” she said shortly. “Nyssa’s a Slayer, and she’s my… my friend. She’s a part of this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dropping her eyes to the floor in an attempt to avoid everyone’s curious gazes, including Nyssa’s, Sara cleared her throat. She particularly ignored Charlie’s gleeful attempts to get her attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Obviously, there’s a lot going on right now,” she began, “and a lot to adjust to. For all of us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not the ones who died, though,” Ray said gently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara gulped at the reminder. “I know. But you three still had your memories wiped. Stein still remembers my d-death. Um, Nyssa only got called to be the Slayer as a result of it. She travelled to Starling City only to find that she wasn’t the only one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa shrugged. “I have adjusted to that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara glanced sideways at her, seeing a small smile grace Nyssa’s lips. She looked away quickly and cleared her throat again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t get our memories back,” she said plainly. “Maybe, in a way, it’s actually better that we don’t, given the trauma of the situation.” She finally turned to Stein, who was watching her sadly. “Listen. I hate that you didn’t give anyone a choice in the matter. I wish you would’ve told us about it sooner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Stein said. “I’m so very sorry to you all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But…” Sara chewed on her bottom lip. “You still saved me. I’m still </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I don’t think I can ever thank you enough for that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stein shook his head. “You don’t have to, Sara.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara nodded jerkily, a little overwhelmed. “That’s, uh, enough feelings for one day,” she said weakly. “But I just wanted to see you guys again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, it’s not going to fix itself overnight,” Nate told her, clapping her on the shoulder. “It’s okay. We’re just glad you’re safe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think I’m ever really </span>
  <em>
    <span>safe</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Sara pointed out, raising an eyebrow. “Being a Slayer, and all that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Charlie grinned wolfishly at her. “Well, at least there’s two of you now. You can help each other out; scratch each other’s backs. Stuff like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara felt her cheeks get hot. She glared at Charlie, willing her to shut up and stop being so perceptive. Surely it wasn’t one of Charlie’s abilities to be able to pick up on when she liked somebody, that would be absurd…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara’s thoughts ground to a halt. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>liked</span>
  </em>
  <span> Nyssa.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Deciding to shove that particular thought far, far down, Sara instead clapped her hands together and began her somewhat elongated report of the past three-plus weeks.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course she liked Nyssa.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, Sara wasn’t quite sure how she’d managed to avoid thinking about it until now, but she decided to chalk it up to the sheer chaos of everything that had happened since Nyssa had shown up in Starling City over a month ago. She’d had time to start wrapping her head around the fact that she’d briefly died, and that Nyssa was also the Slayer, and now there was enough room in her head to realize how she felt about her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If she thought it through, she really wasn’t that surprised. Nyssa was mysterious, and powerful, and beautiful - and on top of that, she appeared to be a decent human being, which was more than the people Sara usually pursued were - so it made sense that Sara had… feelings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then there was that kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara had spent far more time reliving that kiss in her head than was probably healthy. When she’d done it, she’d just wanted to do something that would make her feel alive; that would stop her from scratching at her skin to prove that she could still feel pain. Nyssa had been very good about it, to her credit, but Sara couldn’t help but hope that Nyssa saying she hadn’t minded meant that, maybe, she felt the same. Nyssa had kissed her back, Sara was <em>sure</em> of it. She tried to squash down a whisper of confidence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God, this was ridiculous. Historically, being the Slayer meant that Sara didn’t exactly have the time to devote to a relationship, even if that was what they both wanted. Surely Nyssa also being the Slayer would just double that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unless it didn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Snap out of it, Lance,” Sara growled to herself, focusing her attention on the punching bag in front of her and landing a few jabs in quick succession. “Never. Gonna. Happen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s never going to happen?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara yelped, spinning around and flushing as soon as she laid eyes on Nyssa, dressed in a simple t-shirt and pants. She looked different without her quiver of arrows strapped to her back, Sara thought. Softer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing,” she said quickly, wiping her forehead with her arm. “Uh, what are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stein said I should train with you,” Nyssa replied. “Or at least watch you train.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara rolled her eyes. “He’s still giving me space, isn’t he?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He doesn’t need to do that anymore,” Sara mumbled. She sighed. “Right. Well. You can stay if you want. Enjoy the show, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa’s eyes drifted down to Sara’s exposed midriff. “I will.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara’s tongue felt heavy in her mouth. She had absolutely no idea how to respond to that, so she chose not to, instead turning back to the bag and throwing some more punches. She felt hot all over, Nyssa’s eyes burning her from afar, but she found herself showing off a little, unable to help herself. When they’d first met, she’d found having Nyssa’s eyes on her a little unsettling, but now, she couldn’t deny that she liked it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara checked over her shoulder, seeing Nyssa still watching her. Her eyes were a little glazed, which Sara took no small amount of pride in, and she threw Nyssa a smug little smile. Nyssa scowled at her, nose scrunching in a way that Sara found kind of adorable, and folded her arms across her chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara smirked at her, the whisper of confidence growing. “Nothing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe the solution to our initial problems was just to patrol together,” Sara said, walking side by side with Nyssa through the cemetery.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were both a little stubborn,” Nyssa pointed out. Her eyes scanned all around them, always on such high alert while on patrol. Sara strolled along beside her, shoulders relaxed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but you can’t blame me for holding onto my territory,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa raised her eyebrows. “Your territory?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was here first, Nyssa,” Sara teased her. “We’ve been over this. My cemetery.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, <em>their</em> cemetery.” Nyssa nodded towards a lone vampire lurking by a tree next to the boundary.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara rubbed her hands together. “Sweet. I’ve been itching for a fight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want me to let you take this one, then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ideally, yes,” Sara said. “But I know you’re not gonna be able to keep out of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa’s eyes sparkled. “Perhaps you know me better than I thought.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of answering, Sara jogged away to where the vampire was, yelling, “Hey there!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The vampire’s yellow eyes snapped to her. She bared her teeth, setting off towards Sara quickly. Confrontational, then, Sara decided. Maybe she would need Nyssa’s help after all. She reached for the stake in her pocket, pulling it out and twirling it once in her hand. God, she loved this sometimes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara ducked under the vamp’s arm, kicking her in the small of the back as she went and spinning on the spot to grin at her. The vampire stumbled for balance, righting herself and turning so that she was facing Sara, too. There was a pause, in which the vamp appeared to realize who Sara was, and then a cold smile crept onto her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll enjoy killing the Slayer,” she snarled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” Sara could feel the rush of adrenaline in her body. “Your information is a little out of date, sweetheart.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The vampire blinked in confusion. Sara jerked her head, eyes momentarily sliding over the vamp’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you meant </span>
  <em>
    <span>Slayers</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Nyssa said from behind the vampire. The vamp spun around, and then back to Sara, and then decided on standing side-on to both of them. “Good evening.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can kill two,” the vampire said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you?” Sara asked with interest. “Hey, Nyssa, she thinks she can kill us both.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Interesting,” Nyssa said, meeting Sara’s eyes briefly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara grinned. “Let’s test that theory, shall we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She lunged. The vampire went for Nyssa first, taking a swipe at her that Nyssa dodged, before changing tactic and trying to go for Sara instead. Sara moved quickly, keeping the vampire between her and Nyssa. If the vamp’s attention was split, then they had the advantage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was almost a dance, the way she and Nyssa moved together. Sara had never experienced anything quite like it. She felt powerful, and in control, and almost like she was inside Nyssa’s head as well as her own. She knew exactly what Nyssa was going to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara blamed letting Nyssa be the one to stake the vamp on the fact that she had feelings for her. She’d just get the next one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa put her stake back in her pocket. “I think that was conclusive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara hummed in agreement, crossing the distance between them. “Hey, I've been meaning to ask. Why do you carry around a bow and arrows if you still use a stake?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm?” Nyssa put a hand on the quiver. “Oh. These aren’t for vampires.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are they for decoration?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa shrugged. “The arrows are silver-tipped. They came in useful on my journey to Starling City. My number one rule growing up was to always have more than one variety of weapon on your person at all times.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow,” Sara said. “Remind me not to get too close.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you could…” Nyssa’s eyes dropped to the ground for a brief moment, before she pulled her gaze back up and met Sara’s eyes. “You’re perhaps the only person I would let get close.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara felt as if the air had been knocked out of her lungs. “Oh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a very impressive person, Sara Lance,” Nyssa said quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So are you,” Sara managed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nyssa took a deep breath, looking almost as if she was steeling herself. “I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who made me… feel quite this much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara had thought just a moment ago that she knew exactly what Nyssa was going to do. It struck her, as Nyssa’s hand cupped her cheek, that she’d been wrong about that. But she was more than happy to roll with it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stepped forward even more, completely into Nyssa’s space, and tilted her chin up to meet her lips in a kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their first kiss had been frantic and desperate and </span>
  <em>
    <span>hot</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but this… this kiss immediately made Sara feel vulnerable. She wasn’t used to it. It was a relief in more ways than one when Nyssa deepened the kiss, threading her fingers in Sara’s loose hair, because this was something she could handle without feeling like she was going to melt into a pathetic little puddle at Nyssa’s feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara’s hands gripped Nyssa’s hips firmly. She parted her lips, groaning quietly when Nyssa’s tongue slipped into her mouth and stretching up on her toes when Nyssa teased her. Their chests bumped together, sparking warmth in the pit of Sara’s stomach. She wanted to savor this, like she’d failed to do last time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sara…” Nyssa broke the kiss, whispering against her lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara kissed her again, capturing Nyssa’s bottom lip between her own, before forcing herself to put an inch of distance between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I’d have known this was what happened when we patrolled together,” she joked weakly, “I would’ve suggested it long ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shivered when Nyssa’s thumb brushed over her lower lip. Not fair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to patrol together again tomorrow night?” Nyssa asked, only the slight tremor in that silky smooth voice betraying a hint of nerves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I really, really do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I bloody knew it,” Charlie exclaimed, the first time Sara reached for Nyssa's hand in a team (well, in this case it happened to be a Slayers plus Watcher plus Charlie) meeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stein, who had been in the middle of a briefing, rolled his eyes. “Can we please leave our questions until the end?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wasn’t a question,” Charlie pointed out. “More of an observation, really. The Slayers are banging each other.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara rubbed at her eyes with the hand that’s not currently clutching onto Nyssa’s. “Charlie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, it’s not a complaint.” Charlie put her hands up in defense. “Actually, I’m glad. I could smell the sexual tension from a mile away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please tell me she doesn’t mean that literally,” Nyssa muttered. Sara just shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honestly? I’m unclear.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wonderful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stein sighed heavily. “We’ll address that later. For now, can I get back to my briefing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara inclined her head, giving him a tentative smile. “By all means.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. Well, as I was saying, Charlie has picked up word of a movement forming against the two of you,” Stein said. “It seems as if two Slayers are a very worrisome thought for Starling City’s demon population.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Naturally,” Sara said, more than a little smug. “I’ll let Ray and Nate know what’s brewing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be alert,” Stein warned. “Especially if you two are going places… together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara choked back a laugh. “Will do.” Seeing her Watcher’s nervous look, she turned more serious. “We’ll be careful. I promise. ”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have her back,” Nyssa told Stein, which seemed to relax him a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sara squeezed Nyssa’s hand, feeling butterflies in her stomach, which was a fairly recent development as far as her feelings for Nyssa went. “And I’ve got hers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad.” Stein looked genuinely happy for them, which was a surprising weight off of her shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Besides,” Sara shrugged, glancing at Nyssa out of the corner of her eye and grinning at the quiet confidence she was exuding. “We’re the Chosen Two. We got this.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you so much for reading!</p><p>i confess that i haven't written for this pairing before but i really really enjoyed writing this fic!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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